Page 86 of The Library on Plum Island
“I found the jacket and the phone,” Malcom rushed back into the cockpit.
“I’ll call Harriet,” Alex told him. “Take the wheel and keep an eye on both of them.”
Alex walked onto the deck and punched in a number he knew by heart. But instead of Harriet answering, a voice he’d been longing to hear since he’d come around answered.
****
Daniella and Harriet floated a distance behind Alex’s yacht.
“How long does the Coast Guard take to get here?” Daniella paced the deck. “And why do you have a satellite phone?”
She looked at the phone in her hand.
“In case I go sailing,” Harriet told her. “Can you stop pacing?”
“No, I’ll get sick if I do,” Daniella admitted. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Is this about Alex and me?” Harriet guessed, and Daniella nodded. “How much of our conversation did you overhear?” Harriet asked her.
“Enough,” Daniella hedged before admitting. “All of it.”
“What do you want to ask?” Harriet sighed. “Although I know Alex is going to kill me because he wanted to tell you everything himself.” She raised her eyebrows as Daniella’s surprise registered on her face. “Yes. Alex was going to tell you everything this evening with a romantic dinner and midnight cruise on his yacht.”
“Oh!” Daniella’s heart lurched. “But... uh… how does that make you feel? I mean, me marrying Alex?”
“I’m happy that Alex finally married someone like you,” Harriet surprised her by saying. “Someone who loves him for who he is.”
“I’m not…” Daniella swallowed. “I don’t…”
“I think all that you’ve done up to this point shows how much you care for Alex,” Harriet pointed out with a warm smile and blew out a breath. “Daniella, I know what you overheard could’ve been taken in the wrong context. I love Alex, and I always will.” She snorted. “I was that kid, the one who skipped two years ahead of my peers. Alex should’ve skipped a few years as well and could’ve gone to this elite school, but he didn’t.” She glanced at the yacht in the distance. “He knew how daunting it was for me being the youngest in the class, so he stayed behind for me.”
“He really loves you,” Daniella’s heart ached.
“Yes, Alex loves me. But he’s not in love with me, Daniella. Nor am I in love with him,” Harriet admitted. “We got married more out of thumbing our noses at our authoritarian parents while believing we were in love with each other. We were married for seven months, and of those seven months, we lived together fighting nonstop for three.”
“So you’re not in love with Alex?” Daniella stared at Harriet wide-eyed.
“No.” Harriet gave a little shudder. “But I am extremely protective over him, and even when we were at odds, I always kept an eye on him.”
“I do have feelings for Alex.” It felt good to finally admit that. “But I fear he doesn’t feel the same about me.”
“Are you kidding me?” Harriet stared at her in disbelief. “I can’t tell you what’s in Alex’s heart. That’s for him to do. But I can tell you this: Alex has been making a concerted effort to change and become a better person. He’s not doing that for his family or me, and he doesn’t take his marriage promises lightly either.”
As Harriet’s words sunk in, the phone in Daniella’s hand rang, making her jump. She looked at it and frowned. “It’s an unlisted number.”
“Answer it,” Harriet advised.
“Harriet’s phone,” Daniella answered. “She’s busy at the moment and can’t take your call. You’ll have to call back another time…”
“Daniella!” Alex called into the receiver.
“Alex?” Daniella’s heart went wild. “Are you okay?”
“Are you with Harriet?” Alex asked.
“Yes, she is,” Harriet shouted. “Put the phone over here on speaker.”
Daniella nodded and clicked the phone to the speaker.
